The Tale of the Mystical Mirror
by MagentaCosetteLovett
Summary: Well, I heard that 'Are You Afraid of the Dark' was turned into a book series but this episode was not made into a book and it is my absolute favorite episode. I watch it every day and I am obsessed with it. I know every detail by heart! So I decided to write it like a book.
1. Prologue

The full moon was perched high atop its throne in the midnight sky, acting as a single spotlight that bathed a dark and dreary forest in an eerie, luminous light. The night was very dark and very quiet, almost as silent as the grave, and the trees seemed to come to life, whispering like dead souls trying to communicate with the living.

A young girl raced breathlessly through the forest, her matted mahogany mane fluttering behind her, her heart frantically pounding with each desperate step. As she tried to escape, she knew deep down that she would not succeed.

"Tanis, come to me."

As her name was whispered, she knew that she was doomed. That voice was one of a person she knew far too well, a person that she had once admired, trusted, even loved. But now she knew the truth...and she feared that she would never live to tell it.

"Tanis..."

That voice was one of a woman. It was neither sweet nor innocent, but a low, seductive whisper: entrancing, enchanting, ethereal. It was a voice that had once held her full attention, a voice that had once made her feel safe and secure. It was a voice with which she had held many a personal conversation and felt comfortable in doing so.

Who could have predicted that their friendship would reach such a peculiar and deadly climax?

"Tanis."

Faster and faster she ran, speeding through the forest. Stumbling over something, she momentarily lost her balance, only to regain control of her legs moments later. Hearing no more haunting whispers, she skidded to a graceless halt in order to catch her breath. Gazing around her, she found herself in some sort of clearing in which a fire had been lit. The amber flames crackled and hissed. Heat radiated from the vibrantly burning amber flames, overwhelming her, almost comforting her. Its light not only illuminated her beautiful face, but also something beside her. Allowing her eyes to travel in the direction of the object, she saw that it was a cage.

Her heart leaped from her chest to her throat, suddenly coming to life and frantically hammering its non-existent fists against the confines of the cage that was her chest, trying desperately to break free, trying to escape just as she was.

And then she saw ither. Or rather it: a tall figure draped in ebony, its ente form cloaked in shadow.

She did not need to see the face of the mysterious figure.

She knew at once who it was.

"Tanis..."

The fourth time her name was called would prove to be fatal. A blood-curdling, bone-chilling scream of pain, despair and utter terror pierced the cool night air like a gunshot, slicing like a dagger through the misty air and shattering the tranquility of the night as easily as though it were crafted from frail glass.

The young and beautiful girl - obviously named Tannis - collapsed to the ground, an object falling from her hands. It was a round case, obviously containing make-up.

Soon, her screams melted away.

Now, the only sound was a single howl...and then the barking of a dog.

The Forest was plunged into darkness once more.

Now, the girl was gone.


	2. What If She Doesn't Like Me?

What if she doesn't like me?

Those were the only words that could race through the whirlwind of a mind possessed by the overly-imaginative Cindy Lopez as she walked alongisde her best friend, Laurel Clove.

Cindy was about to enter a prestigious beauty store, a store in which Laurel was a beloved and trusted employee. Ever since Laurel had taken the job there, the two girls had drifted apart. They were already very different. In fact, they disagreed on almost everything. But their bond had always been a strong one, unbrakable. Their souls were attached and no amount of strength could dissever them. They were not sisters in blood, but they were sisters in mind, heart and soul. But after her best friend had taken the job at the store, everything had changed. Laurel had began to grow distant, spending more time shopping with her boss than walking with Cindy. Their correspondences were growing to be rarer and rarer. Cindy was almost growing anxious that she was losing Laurel to the mysterious older woman for whom her best friend gladly worked.

She had never met the legendary Ms. Valenti, but from what Laurel had told her, Ms. Valenti was an ex-Pageant-Queen with beauty that could easily rival that of Aphrodite. And the more Cindy heard about Ms. Valenti, the more she wanted to meet her. Of course, she had believed that she never wound...but now everything had changed again, this time for the better.

One of Ms. Valenti's young employees had vanished under very mysterious circumstances. Cindy did not know very much about this, only that Ms. Valenti was now seeking a new employee.

So, here she was, strolling alongside Laurel, her plain face contorted into an expression of pensive contemplation.

What if she doesn't like me?

She couldn't shake the thought from her head. After all, she was nowhere near as beautiful as Laurel. Laurel had buttery blonde locks that cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall of solid gold, framing her blemishless porcelain face like a heavenly halo of auroral light that tumbled like a curtain of auricomous wonder down her back and reached to just past her shoulders. She was tall and petite, with a frail-looking form and delicate features. Her eyes were a striking grey-green, encircled by voluptuous ebony lashes. Cindy, on the other hand, was what many would consider to be a 'Plain Jane.' She had stick-straight hair in a dull brown color. Unlike Laurel's, her hair possessed no shine, no volume, no appeal at all. Her face was round and her features were not in the least bit striking. Her eyes did not shine like stars or gemstones, but simply sat between her long nose like two tiny swamps, their color almost identical to that of human waste. Still, she had a humble appeal about her. She was a flower not yet on bloom, a diamond in the rough, a radient jewel just waiting to be discovered.

"Did you tell her I was coming?"

Cindy's voice trembled with a subtle vibrato. Admittedly, she was beginning to regret her decision. What if the woman was a snob? What if she only cared for beauty? What if she could not see through Cindy's less-than-immaculate appearance to the beauty underneath?

"No, but don't worry about it, she's cool," Laurel tried to reassure Cindy to the best of her ability, trying to keep her tone as placid as possible. Unfortunately, she failed. She sounded more bored than serene. Secretly, she was growing a little weary of Cindy's lack of confidence. Laurel could see Cindy for the darling that she was, yet Cindy refused to believe herself anything more than a nameless face in the crowd.

Why?

"Are you sure about this?"

Another silly question. This was about the tenth time Cindy had asked this question, using the very same words, and the two girls had only been walking for two minutes.

"Yes, Ms. Valenti's going to love you!"

Cindy breathed a silent sigh and glanced upwards. An ornate sign caught her eye. Carved in golden letters were the words 'Elysian Beauty Store."

Perhaps she was over-reacting.

Everything was probably going to be fine, just as Laurel said.

But...what if she doesn't like me?

Cindy just couldn't shake the thought from her mind.


	3. Meeting Vikki

"So, what happened to the girl who used to work here?"

Cindy could not help but ask the question as they neared the store. Laurel exhaled, her youthful face contorting into an expression of pensive contemplation.

"Nobody knows...exactly..."

As the two girls crossed the threshold that separated inside from outside, beauty from ugliness, a tinkling bell announced their arrival. As she stepped inside, Cindy was immediately calmed by the ambrosial aroma that emanated from several sources, such as flowers andperfumes.

"She ran away?"

Cindy persisted on the matter of the previous employee. Laurel turned to her friend, dropping her voice ever so slightly to a murmur that bordered on whispering.

"That's what the police said."

Then, she allowed her opulent oval eyes to fall upon a rather pretty brunette who sat at a desk, glancing down at something that Laurel could not see.

"Hi Vikki!"

Laurel called out her greeting in a casual manner. She was not exactly excited to see Vikki, but she tried to act enthusiastic for Cindy's sake.

For as long as the two could remember, Vikki - or Victoria Winston, as was her full name - and Laurel had a tumultuous relationship. The two were almost like sisters, for although they constantly feuded one had always been there for the other in any time of need.

"Hi," Vikki muttered grumpily, glancing up at the two for a mere moment before downcasting her gaze once more.

"Where's Ms. Valenti?" Laurel inquired with deep curiosity, glancing around the ostentatiously decorated store in search of its glamorous owner.

"How should I know?" Vikki snapped back, rolling her slightly sunken eyes in a childish manner. Laurel returned the gesture with an eye roll of her own, turning to Cindy with a sly smirk and feigning a gag. Vikki allowed her eyes to settle upon the two girls, her eyebrows knitting together.

"I saw that," she muttered darkly, clearly unimpressed by Laurel's immaturity despite her own lack of the quality she constantly reminded Laurel that she did not possess. Ignoring Vikki's unsettling glare, Laurel lead Cindy over to a table stocked with various cosmetics, informing her friend that the store would not open for another half an hour. Then, she set to work, determined to succeed in her mission to transform this plane Jane into the ultimate Glamour Goddess before the reigning Sparkle Queen could meet her. After all, it was imperative that Cindy impress Ms. Valenti.

"Lipstick...a little blush and you'll look great," Laurel twittered enthusiastically, only to be met with an unconvinced look from Cindy, who responded that she would "look like Zebo the clown," if Laurel proceeded with the make-over.

Laurel chuckled in amusement, shaking her head so that her golden locks tumbled freely over her shoulders like a curtain of silk.

"You won't! You should have seen Vikki when she first came here...what a bowser."

"Ha, ha," Vikki muttered under her breath, gritting her teeth as she shot metaphorical daggers from her eyes, plunging them deeply into Laurel's soul. Laurel simply returned Vikki's stare, un-fazed by her attempt to intimidate her.

As soon as Vikki returned to her task, Laurel returned to her own and proceeded to highlight Cindy's eyebrows with a darker shade. Spotting movement out of the corner of her eye, an ever-observant Vikki lifted her tanned face once more to stare at the two girls.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm giving my friend a little touch up," Laurel responded blankly, stating this as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Free stuff is only for employees," Vikki reminded her, for some unknown reason deciding to place great emphasis on the 'ee' sound.

"Chill out," Laurel responded with a silent sigh, turning back to Cindy with a triumphant smirk. "Hey, wanna pass me that blush over there?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," the self-conscious Cindy murmured shyly, tentatively extending a tiny hand in the direction of a pink blush, only for her hand to make contact with a round bottle filled with a water-like substance instead. The open bottle toppled over, its contents staining Vikki's clothes.

Vikki scowled, hurriedly jumping backwards as though the substance had been poison. She began to rrub furiously at the material of her dress, her brows furrowing in concentration.

"Oh, great! This was a new dress!"

"I'm sorry..." Cindy sincerely apologized, biting nervously down on her lower lip, which trembled under Vikki's harsh, scrutinizing glare.

"Laurel, let me know next time you bring in one of your...duh...friends. I'll wear something old!"


	4. Ms Valenti

Laurel was unimpressed with Vikki's comment. She turned to see Cindy, whose face had contorted into a look of embarrassment. Her face was flushed a deep scarlet. Hurriedly she took a tissue, wiping away the make-up, for her make-over was only half completed and she could already hear the tinkle of a ball, signifying a new arrival.

The clack of heels pierced the silence and a dazzling smile set Laurel's pale face aglow with warmth as she caught sight of a familiar face. A breathtakingly beautiful woman glided towards the trinity with all the grace of a supermodel. Her hair was a lustrous honeycomb blonde, styled immaculately in ringlets that seemed to glow like the rays of the sun beneath the phospherescent lights of the store. A pair of dark sunglasses covered her eyes, preventing Cindy from seeing their color. Her outfit was worthy of the runway. She wore a very expensive looking cream jacket and a matching skirt. Tucked into this was a purple top and a long necklace swayed as she walked. She looked to be approximately thirty years of age and she wore a smile that was cordial and inviting.

"Good morning ladies," she greeted pleasantly, removing the sunglasses to reveal a pair of eyes that could only be described as the color of chocolate or coffee. They seemed warm and pleasant and her voice very friendly. If this was the legendary Ms. Valenti, Cindy liked her already. Of course, it was unnerving to be in the presence of one so ethereally beautiful as she, but she seemed to be a kind woman, one she could trust.

Vikki's scowl immediately dissolved, replaced only by a smile that was obviously one of fondness as she called out her own greeting.

"Morning," Laurel chirped cheerily, her youthful voice filled with gaiety and enthusiasm. She offered her most charming smile, revealing a set of glimmering pearls that somehow managed to function as teeth.

"I have wonderful news," the woman chimed in a voice that was neither too high nor too low, neither old nor youthful. Her voice had a soothing serenity to it that immediately made her like-able. "The new fashions just arrived from Milan last night and they are absolutely vabulous."

As she said this, she picked up an article of clothing and handed it to Vikki, who appeared to examine it as the woman continued to speak. "Of course, I want my two beauties to see them first."

"Really?" Vikki questioned in a jubilant manner, no longer cold or nonchanant. She then handed the item of clothing back to the woman, who placed it on a hanger as she responded.

"Mhm. Tonight, at my place, around seven?"

"Cool, I'll be there," Vikki responded immediately, obviously excited to see these new and expensive clothes. The woman gave a small smile, then turned to Laurel to await her answer. She had yet to notice Cindy, for Cindy had positioned herself behind Laurel and out of sight of the woman.

At this new information, Laurel's face fell. She looked almost devastated, though Cindy could not understand why until her friend announced that she would be unable to make it, as she had a prior engagement in the form of a date. Cindy knew immediately who the date was with. It was with Ronald Patterson, fondly dubbed 'Ron.' He had been Laurel's steady boyfriend for six months now. They had been crowned Homecoming King and Queen and voted the cutest couple of Parthridge High School. Laurel and Ron were very much in love. They had known each other since they were small children. They had played together and gone on outings together, for their parents were very close also. Cindy was also rather fond of him, seeing him as the brother she never had.

"Hm. You don't know what you're missing," the woman responded in a tone of voice that could only be described as enigmatic, before turning to the side and beginning a small task.

"Um, Ms Valenti this is my friend, Cindy," Laurel announced suddenly, causing the woman - who was now confirmed to be the shop's legendary owner - to glance back in her direction. Cindy tentatively stepped out from behind Laurel, offering a meek smile that revealed the gaps in her teeth. Ms. Valenti's teeth were immaculate, which was shown when she offered another smile, greeting Cindy sweetly and enquiring if she was looking for anything in particular.

Cindy took a deep breath, obviously very nervous, and began to speak.

"I...heard there might be a job opening 'cos the other girl left, and..."

She bit down on her lower lip, too nervous to cintinue. She simply allowed the sentence to hang like a toxic gas in the air, but thankfully Ms. Valenti was able to grasp her meaning.

"And you'd like to apply," the older woman responded in a manner that was not a question, but more of a statement.

"Yes," Cindy stammered softly, nodding her comfirmation.

"I see..." Ms. Valenti responded thoughtfully, approaching Cindy with a thoughtful expression, looking her over. Cindy thought as though those chocolate brown eyes were seeing not her exterior, but her interior. She felt as though the older woman could see into her very soul, see her every flaw, her every fault, her every imperfection. She almost cowered beneath that intimidating stare. "Of course, the women who shop here expect my beauties to have a certain..."

She glanced at Cindy's old, worn jeans and her loose-fitting top, her lips curving downwards ever so slightly.

"Style..."

"Yeah, no geeks need apply," the beautiful Vikki responded with a superior smirk, a malicious grin spreading across her caramel-colored face. At this comment, Cindy's face fell.

"We cater to the very finest...and present ourselves accordingly," Ms. Valenti continued, seeming not to have heard Vikki's comment.

"I get it," Cindy murmured miserably, starting to walk towards the door. "Sorry to bother you."

"No, dear, don't leave."

Ms. Valenti's words caused Cindy to stop dead in her tracks, fixing the older woman with an expression of curiosity and confusion. "You might just be a diamond in the rough," Ms. Valenti explained, seeing Cindy's questioning expression.

"Yeah, remember Vikki?" Laurel piped up, shooting Vikki a scornful expression and emulating the smirk that had previously crossed Vikki's tanned face while mocking Laurel. Ah, the revenge of a friend. What could be more sweet?

"Come," Ms. Valenti smiled slightly, beckining for Cindy to follow her as she stepped towards her, linking arms with the young girl. "I have my own special line of products. Make up, jewelry, a few fashions...and only the most elegant ladies."


End file.
